


Dejection

by MagicAlpha



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Aftermath, Angst, Death, Feels, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Loss, Not Happy, One Shot, Sad, Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 08:10:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20945135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicAlpha/pseuds/MagicAlpha
Summary: In which Nick deals with the recent loss of his beloved partner in the line of duty.





	Dejection

_In Judy’s mind, everything around her became one big blur to her. Everything that happened in the previous moments came so suddenly, occurring so quickly yet feeling as if it were lasting an eternity. She laid upon the hard ground, the bright rays of the sun shining straight into the rabbit’s eyes. Her vision was starting fading quickly, and the pain of the bullet was starting to overcome her more than she wanted to show._

_“N-Nick,” she managed to mutter, weakly._

_She could still overhear the voice of her beloved fox partner, but it was starting to become muffled and inaudible._

_“This is Officer Wilde. Code 30, 10-00. Officer Hopps is down. I need an ambulance!”_

_The rabbit’s radio came through in static, acknowledging the request that Nick never thought he would ever have to make in his lifetime._

_Judy grunted in pain, starting to let out coughs in between her breathing. As her eyes started to shut, Nick got down to the doe’s level._

_“Come on!” the vulpine said, his voice scorching with panic and sadness. “You can fight it, Judy. Don’t leave me, please!”_

* * *

The clock clicked to the next hour, and with that the news started to repeat all of the same headlines from what had previously been talked about. Normally the repetitive nature of the news channel wouldn't have been so tiresome, but in this case there was something that made things worse. Something that, when described, made one want to immediately change the channel and retreat to something that brought a lot more joy. Those were the emotions that Nicholas Wilde felt at this very moment in time.

The channel displayed another screen before the reporters repeated the headline once more, bold letters that read "Continued Coverage" filled up his television. Ominous sounds filled the speakers, creating a deep ambience and providing the assumption that what was being covered was definitely tragic. And tragic it was, because Nick knew damn well what was going to be on that report. After all, he had been there when tragedy happened. The moment still fresh inside his mind, to a point where he could vividly recognize all of the details. More than his mind _wanted_ to be able to remember, to be exact.

The snow leopard and moose reporters gave their calm and collected looks towards the viewers before addressing once more what bad news was going to be announced. The headline ran down the bottom of the screen: _Hopps Dies in Line of Duty._

The minute those words ran down the screen, Nick immediately shut down the TV before they could even begin to discuss the topic. That report had played what felt like a million times, and he didn't want to hear it. He had already seen enough and experienced enough to want to hear the details about it again.

Nick understood quite well that anything could happen without any sort of warning, and another officer could always lose their life in the line of duty. But he _surely_ didn't expect it to happen so suddenly when it did to Officer Hopps, the bunny that served both as his dearest companion and his partner at work.

He had always heard others remark that if they could go back they would change something, and now he honestly felt the same way. If only he would've been prepared for said event to occur, he could've prevented disaster from striking. Even though the ZPD managed to catch the two wretched mammals responsible for taking her life and the series of crimes before that, it couldn't change the fact that Judy was gone. If it were possible, he would've took that fatal bullet just to make sure she survived. That was how unconditional his love was for the doe, that he would have done _anything _to make sure she was safe. Even if it meant that he gave his life to make sure her life wasn't in jeopardy.

But it was too late to change anything, and that was what made Nick even more upset. He simply sat there staring out of the window, blankly looking out at the cityscapes he could see from his apartment. 

No... it wasn't _his_ apartment.

It was _theirs_.

It was within these walls that many of their small but fun memories were made.

Turning around, he picked his phone off the coffee table and swiped it open. The app that contained all of his pictures opened up unintentionally (it had apparently been the last window that he had previously opened before closing his phone). That didn't make him feel any better, because it just so happened that a huge fraction of the photos stored in the app were of him and Judy together. A collage of both the fox and rabbit in various locations filled up the screen, displayed in small individual squares. Letting out a long and heavy sigh, he closed his phone and started to tear up. Nick lived under the personal motto of not letting others see that things got to him, but in this case that motto would be rejected. He truly missed her, and he knew well that she happened to be one of the best mammals that ever walked into his life. If it wouldn't have been for that sly bunny that he liked so well, he would've never found a new purpose for his life.

He stared directly at the wedding ring that remained on his paw, letting out a heavy sigh as his low sobbing commenced. His phone rang with a notification, reading "Birthday Party For Carrots" in a small bubble on his iPaw's screen. Up until that alert came about, Nick had almost forgot about that.

Before all of this sadness happened, the fox had originally made a plan with Wolford and Grizzoli to help him throw a surprise party for Judy's approaching birthday. Nick was going to be the one to supply everyone with the food, while some of his friends back at the precinct would pitch in by helping him get things decorated.

The fox listlessly dragged his way over to the fridge and pulled out the box of cupcakes with blueberry frosting he had ordered in advance from the bakery prior to this moment. He took one out of its container and set it by a framed picture he had on the kitchen counter of him and Judy together in Sahara Square.

Nick placed a small birthday candle on top of it and lit it. "Happy birthday, Carrots," he murmured dejectedly. "If only you were here to celebrate."

He held back a sniffle, closed his eyes and blew out the small birthday candle.


End file.
